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Article: Centennial look at 'religious act'; William James' bold text lives on strongly today.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- April 10, 2002
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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_``Varieties of Religion Today'' by Charles Taylor; Harvard ($19.95)
When William James published "The Varieties of Religious Experience'' a century ago, he knocked religious thinking on its ear. Regarded then as America's greatest philosopher, James (1842-1910) derided hyper-intellectual theology and overly ritualized churches. He urged educated people not to confuse religion with either.
Instead, the celebrated Harvard professor, whose "pragmatism" sought to explain all ideas in light of their consequences, urged readers to understand religion as something quintessentially individual _ an emotional experience of the divine. As a believer who labeled ...